Service of 105 rear hub

curium

Hi

My Shimano 105 rear hub seems a little stiff. I've uploaded a video to vimeo to illustrate the problem in case that makes it easier to suggest a solution.

http://vimeo.com/98976800

On loosening the quick release that makes it a little better but there is still increased resistance and I can't run with the QR too loose or when I stand on the pedals I get brake rub which is irritating.

I've also watched a video from GCN on servicing 105 hubs;

http://youtu.be/90XxoPHWbI4

- but wanted to make sure that is what is required by asking some questions here. The hubs are a year old and have been ridden in all weather.

My questions are :

- could this be caused purely by the cones needing loosening?
- What size cone spanners are required for a 105 rear hub?
- Should I leave the dust seal in to avoid deforming it as suggested?
- can you recommend a grease to use for the bearings?
- Do I really need to buy a grease gun to do a good job?
- if the bearings need replacing, what type do I buy and where from?

Cheers for the help guys!

redvee

curium wrote:

- What size cone spanners are required for a 105 rear hub?

15/16mm for the cones and a 6"metric jussie for the locknut

curium wrote:

- Should I leave the dust seal in to avoid deforming it as suggested?

I always pull mine off when doing the cones on my wheels, makes adjustment easier.

curium wrote:

- can you recommend a grease to use for the bearings?

I use red Weldtite grease.

curium wrote:

- Do I really need to buy a grease gun to do a good job?

It will make life easier, the weldtite grease I use comes with a grease gun attachment.

curium wrote:

- if the bearings need replacing, what type do I buy and where from?

1/4" stainless balls off Ebay, 20 balls for around £3 IIRC.

jermas

The hub will probably just need cleaning, regreasing and the cones adjusting correctly (very slightly loose with quick releases open). As above new balls might be needed if they aren't nice and shiny. Also check the cones aren't pitted.
The cone spanner sizes for the rear are 15mm and 14mm. The fronts 13mm and 14mm.

curium

jermas wrote:

The hub will probably just need cleaning, regreasing and the cones adjusting correctly (very slightly loose with quick releases open). As above new balls might be needed if they aren't nice and shiny. Also check the cones aren't pitted.
The cone spanner sizes for the rear are 15mm and 14mm. The fronts 13mm and 14mm.

If the cones are pitted, are replacements easily available?

ugo.santalucia

They call it locknut unit, but the image includes the cone

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/page/find/?n ... one&page=1

curium

Cheers all!

I've ordered the bearings and some lithium grease of ebay. I got some cone spanners ordered and a grease gun.

Hopefully I'll have to time to go at it on Monday.

keef66

I've done mine a couple of times now; pretty simple if you take your time. Leave one cone / locknut in place and completely remove those at the other end; that way the axle will still be centered when you reassemble it (remember which end was which)

With the axle removed take the opportunity to remove the freehub (10mm hex key in the tubular nut, unscrews anticlockwise) then carefully pick out the seal at the back and drizzle some medium weight oil in there. Pop the seal back in (you did note which way round it went?) Bit of copperslip on the threads and reinstall the freehub.

Then you can set about the bearings.

Slight play with the wheel out of the bike which disappears when the QR is tightened

curium

Hey all!

I got the rear wheel out and got the bearings out. To my dismay the cones inside the hub shell are damaged. Does this mean my only option is to replace the hub (and have the wheel rebuilt!)? I have new bearings which I'll grease and install since I have them.

Here is a photo:


I'm going to check the front ones. What size bearings will I need for that?

Incidentally, how often are other people servicing their hubs? Mine are a year old in August, I commute with them, wash the bike perhaps twice a month and ride in [almost] all weather. There was still grease in mine and no obvious signs of water ingress/rust, etc. The surface is very notchy though, as can be seen in the photo

Cheers all!

curium

Here a photo of the driveside cup on the axle

keef66

Crikey, they are badly pitted. Is it possible they've been over-tightened as some point?

If it's just the drive side then you could just replace the bearings, cones and the freehub (since the D/S cup is located in the freehub). If the cups on both sides are like that then the hub needs replacing, which means rebuilding the wheel. OK if you can do it yourself, but if paying somebody to do it for you, the cost of the hub plus the rebuild is frequently close to the cost of a whole new wheel. Worth bearing in mind if the rim has significant wear.

I check mine annually, but not so much wet weather riding these days.

ps that's the driveside cone on the axle

curium

A bit disappointed by the state of them and will have to check the headset bearings. They roll acceptably well with the new bearings and some grease.

Good excuse for a new bike or at least another set of wheels for good weather. Will wait for the bearings to arrive for the front, service them and then decide how to proceed.

I ordered 3/16" bearings for the front. Can anyone confirm if this is correct? They were cheap enough.

One difficulty I had was that the drive-side cone was slightly recessed in the hub when the axle was fit so I had to remove it to get enough purchase on it to hold it still while tightening the lock-nut them refitted it and adjusted the non-drive side. I just made sure the axle was not protruding from the dropouts when the wheel was fitted.

For the record it was a 15mm for the cups and 14mm for the locknuts on the rear wheel.

keef66

Now the cups and cones are pitted it means you've worn through the hardened surface, so subsequent wear may be more rapid; just play it by ear and monitor development of play at the wheel rim.
Shimano tech doc for the front wheel: http://techdocs.shimano.com/media/techd ... 608629.pdf

3/16" bearings for the front, 11 on each side. Which is OK if you buy the Shimano ones, but not if you've just bought 2 packs of 10. I imagine.

wishitwasallflat

I recently persevered for about 5-6 months with 105 hubs with way worse looking races than those. If you replace that worn cone and the balls and re-pack then the hubs will run fine. As Ugo put it 105s are agricultural and if you can live with imperfection they will run and run.

I've just recently given up on them as the rim burst and am now trying Miche Primato hubs with sealed bearings for a change.

See the previous posts I made about my 105 hub, linked below, they include pics of my hubs and great advice from many forumites!

viewtopic.php?f=40004&t=12951455&hilit=105+hub

viewtopic.php?f=40042&t=12958917&hilit=105+hubs